Crawford Allan

Date of Birth:  16 May 1967

Profession:  Bank Official

First ever match:  Musselburgh U/14 v Edina Hibs U/14 in August 1991

First international match:  England v Israel (U/17 Ballymena International tournament 2002)

Career highlights  Referee Scottish U/21 Cup Final 1995, Referee Scottish Junior Cup Final 2001, being promoted to Grade 1 in Season 2002/ first foreign UEFA match as 4th official in 2004 (Portugal v. Russia u-21 qualifying match) Ukraine v. albania (2005 4th Official U/21 qualifying match)

What does being a football referee mean to you?  Being professional in my attitude and enjoying taking part in a game I really enjoy.

Why did you become a referee?  I was slightly mad! - and one of my work colleagues (who is now a Referee Observer ) was a referee and talked me into it!!

Would you have wished to become a full-time referee?  Yes - I have been lucky enough to go abroad on a couple of occasions for tournaments / matches and "live the life of a referee" for a few days and it was absolutely superb.

Any pet hates in football?  Players trying to deceive the referee and opponents (cheating, if I am being absolutely honest) - some are really good at it and make it so difficult to spot, with the result that on occasion we sometimes get it wrong and don't award fouls when maybe they should have been.

What Law of the Game would you change?  Number of substitutes in a friendly match. I really can't see the point in making people pay good money to watch what can become little more than a training event for the players when so many players change during the game. If clubs want a training match then arrange it as such and run it on the training fields.

The most difficult Law to apply?  Dissent. Should be so easy if the letter of the Law was applied - however referees try to take common sense into account and allow a certain amount of frustration amongst players - but where is the line and when do players cross it? Very difficult to manage 100% properly.

Your best memory in football?  Going to watch Scotland in 1998 World Cup in France - fantastic experience. One I hope to repeat at some point in the future.

What's in your car CD player?  Red Hot Chilli Peppers/Stadium Arcadium, Shania Twain / Greatest Hits - what a babe! Snow Patrol / Eyes Open

Favourite film?  Cat Ballou - really fuuny and very enjoyable / easy watching.

Tastiest food?  Peppered steak

Luck or judgement?  Luck

Dress up or dress down?  Both, I am equally comfortable in a pair of jeans as I am in a dinner suit / kilt for the special occasion.

Any advice for young referees?  The world is out there if you have the commitment, skill and a little bit of luck. Enjoy it!!

Last Seasons totals:- Games: 18 Yellow Cards: 54 Red Cards: 8

This will be Crawford Allan's first game of the season, It's strange but I thought he refereed at least one of our games last season but according to the records I have he didn't so my focus will have to be season 2004 - 2005.

He was in charge of two of our games a 2 - 0 win against tomorrows opponents Queen of the South, there were three bookings only one of them went our way and Docherty was the player.

In April of 2005 we beat St Johnstone 2 - 1 away from home, Stephen Docherty was sent off along with St Johnston's Ryan Stevenson.

Chris Mac